The struggling chemical company Dow will not be taking on any new apprentices at its sites in Schkopau in Saxony-Anhalt and Böhlen in Saxony this year. The company announced that, after intensive consideration, it had decided to suspend the 2025/2026 training year. The "Mitteldeutsche Zeitung" had previously reported this.
Affected are 26 young people who were originally due to start their training on September 1. According to Dow, the reason for the move is current cost-saving measures and uncertainties about future training requirements. "We very much regret this decision, but had to make it due to several factors," the company said.
Dow promises help
The move will not affect apprenticeships already in progress. Together with the works councils, Dow has promised the affected applicants help in finding alternative training positions. The company is also in contact with the Federal Employment Agency and the chambers of industry and commerce.
Future of plant unclear - review process still ongoing
The decision is based on a comprehensive review of the Group's central production facilities in Europe - including the plants in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. In the spring, Dow announced that it would be putting the chlor-alkali and vinyl plants in Schkopau and the steam cracker in Böhlen, among others, to the test. The latter produces chemical base materials from crude gasoline. The reasons cited by the company include high energy and raw material prices as well as growing overcapacity on the market.
A final decision on the future of the affected plants is still pending, according to Dow. The company expects results by mid-2025.
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